Glass lined hot water tank



June 22, 1943. 0.. E. UECKER GLASS LINED HOT WATER TANK Filed May 6, 1940 n mllllllurwrorl Otto E-Uecker ATTORNEY.

Patented June UNITED. STATES PATENT. OFFICE GLASS LINED HOT WATER TANK out a. Uecker, Milwaukee, Wis., assirnor to a. 0.

Smith Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of New York Application May a, 1940, Serial No. seam 3 Claims. (c1. 122-11) This invention relates to enamel lined hot An object of the invention is to provide a vitreous enameled tank which has a central flue and is adapted to the heating of water by means of gas.

These and other objects of the invention will for conducting water to and from the tank, for

the insertion of thermostatic elements, or for other purposes. The openings shown in the drawings are provided with flanges for connection to other fittings, but it is to be understood that the specific form of the openings forms no part of this invention and that other means of connection may be employed.

In fabricating the tank, the shell I is formed from steel and slightly expanded at the ends to make flared sections 6 for the reception of the heads. All fittings for openings in the shell that are to be applied before enameling are prepared and Joined to the shell. Vitreous enamel frit is then applied to the inner surface of the shell and fused thereon to form an enamel or glass lining E. As many coats of enamel are applied as are needed.

The lower head 2 is stamped from metal and pierced with a hole around which the metal is turned up to form a short flange 8. A tube 8 for the flue is welded to the flange at 8 by flash, resistance, arc, or other method of welding and any excess weld metal or flash or burr produced in the welding operation is trimmed away to leave a smooth Joint. Enamel frit is then applied to the lower head and the attached flue and fused thereon to form a coating '1, which covers the head and the flue 3 up to within a short distance of its end. a

The enamel coating is to be applied to those metal surfaces which face the space enclosed by the tank to protect them from the corrosive action eled to protect them against the action of products of combustion from the' heater used to heat the tank.

The upper head 4 is prepared with an upturned flange i l for the reception of the flue 3 and enameled. It will be seen that all enameled surfaces which are to be exposed to the water in the tank are readily accessible and can be thoroughly inspected for the detection of any defects in the enamel.

The heads are then assembled in position as shown in Fig. 1 and Joined to the shell by the deposition of weld metal at it and ii. The method of making such welds between the heads and shell is described in full detail in my copending application for patent, Serial No. 215,651, flled June 24, 1938, and it is therefore unnecessary to repeat the descriptionhere. The

flue is joined to the upper head by welding at it. To facilitate the welding operation, the upper end of the flue is preferably left unenameled for a distance about equal to its projection above the juncture with the head.

Alternatively, the fiue can be made shorter as shown in Fig. 3 so that its end is flush with the juncture with the upper head. Weld metal II is then deposited on the bare ends of the flue and' the upturned flange M to unite the two together.

I This procedure facilitates the welding operation,

but requires a closer control on tolerances to insure that the ends of the flue 3 and flange It will be substantially flush when the parts are assembled together.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 2, the upper head i5 is of difierent shape than the lower head, and is secured by weld l6 to the shell 0 before enameling and excess weld metal is trimmed away to leave a smooth joint. The shell and upper head are then enameled as one unit, the flue and lower head as another. It will be seen that in this case also the enamel surfaces exposed to water in the tank are readily accessible for inspecting prior to assembly since, the lower end of the shell is open. After inspection, the two units are assembled and joined together by weld metal deposited at I? and 88. In this case there are but two welded joints to make after enameling instead of three.

The construction shown in Fig. 3 may be used in the embodiment illustrated in either Fig. 1 or Fig. 2.

Thetank is designed for use with a burner placed below the lower head. The hot products of combustion pass up the flue to a chimney and heat the water in the tank.

The invention is claimed as follows: 1. A ceramic enamel lined water heater storage tank constructed of parts assembled after enamcling, comprising a cylindrical shell member lined with ceramic enamel, end heads lined with similar enamel, and a cylindrical flue member 1 extending longitudinally in said shell and connecting said end heads, the outer surface of said flue member being coated with ceramic enamel, at least one of said heads and one of said cylindrical members being integral and merged with one another along smooth lines without sharp corners tending to injure theenamel and having their enamel coatings extending continuous and unbroken over the surface thereof exposed to liquid in the tank, and the remaining members being welded together along lines at the outer edges of overlapping lined sections thereof and substantially removed from the body of the tank where injury to the enamel lining by welding is avoided.

2. A ceramic enamel lined water heater storage tank constructed of parts assembled after enameling, comprising a cylind'rical shell member lined with ceramic enamel, end heads lined with similar enamel, and a cylindrical flue member extending longitudinally in said shell and connect-- ing said end heads, the'outer surface of said flue member being coated with ceramic enamel, the inverted lower end head of the tank and the flue member being integral and merged with one another along smooth lines without sharp corners 30 welding is avoided.

comprising a cylindrical-shell lined with ceramic enamel, end heads lined with similar enamel, and a cylindrical flue extending longitudinally in said shell and connecting said end heads, the outer surface of said flue being coated with ceramic enamel, the weld joints between at least two of said parts being made prior to enameling and being of the butt-weld type providing an integral merger of the parts with one another along smooth lines without sharp corners tending to injure the enamel and said parts having their enamel coatings extending continuously over the weld joint, and the remaining weld joints, made after assembly, being welded along lines at the outer edges of overlapping lined sections of 'the parts and substantially removed from the body of the tank where injury to the enamel lining by OTTO E. DECKER. 

